Managers united in anger at referee

Referee Phil Dowd was subjected to a scathing assessment of his performance by rival managers Mark Hughes and Martin Jol as a game that should have been memorable for Tugay's stunning first-half goal ultimately became a story of unfathomable officiating by the Staffordshire referee and his assistants.

The chants from the Blackburn End of 'You're not fit to referee' were the only printable insults hurled at Dowd in the wake of his decision, on the hour, to award Spurs a penalty and dismiss Rovers midfielder Tugay for the foul on Hossam Ghaly which led to Jermain Defoe's equaliser from the spot.

A subsequent failure to award the home side a penalty following a debatable handball by the Spurs forward Mido further enraged the home side and their supporters, leading to accusations by Tottenham manager Jol that Dowd had buckled under the pressure by the time he was sent to the stands for contesting the decision to dismiss Ghaly for an elbow on Michael Gray.

Jol said: "The referee reacted to the crowd when he sent off Ghaly because they were crying out for a red card following the Tugay incident and then the Mido [penalty decision]. I told him he had got it wrong and he said, 'You can go as well!' I think he was a bit emotional.

"He misjudged the situation and ending up giving me the first red card of my managerial career, but it was ridiculous. I just hope that he looks at it and reconsiders his decision."

Blackburn manager Hughes, having seen his team lose their chance of victory with Tugay's dismissal and Defoe's successful penalty, was even less diplomatic than Jol.

"I think Mr Dowd has got to admit that he had a shocker," Hughes said. "Referees have to be of the required standard and I don't think he was on this occasion. I will be contacting [referees' chief] Keith Hackett about this because it is important to highlight these things to the powers-that-be.

"On too many occasions this season, the big decisions that directly affect the outcome of games have gone against us and I don't know why that is the case."

Tugay should have been the headline-maker rather than the referee having opened the scoring with an incredible first-half volley past England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

The shine was taken off his performance, however, once he was ridiculously sent off early in the second half. Although Dowd could justify the award of a penalty following the challenge on Ghaly on the basis that contact was made, albeit slight and in the form of the veteran's trailing leg, how the assistant referee arrived at the decision that it was an intentional foul to prevent a goalscoring opportunity is something perhaps only he will know. A debatable penalty had suddenly become a red card offence that saw the game's best and most creative player ordered off the pitch.

Hughes said: "There was no intent from Tugay whatsoever. We asked the referee to speak to his assistant in an effort to change his mind, but he has ended up sending Tugay off. We will appeal, though. Absolutely."

Goalkeeper Brad Friedel was unfortunate not to keep out Defoe's penalty and Blackburn, despite being down to 10 men, looked the most likely to add to the scoring. The debatable Mido penalty incident went against the home side and Benni McCarthy had a flick well saved by Robinson.

The blood that the Rovers fans demanded came in stoppage time, however, when Ghaly was sent off, quickly followed by Jol.